Hole Injection In Organic Light-emitting Diodes Research Articles

Tuning Hole-Injection in Organic-Light Emitting Diodes with Self-Assembled Monolayers.

Improving hole injection through the surface modification of indium tin oxide (ITO) with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) is a promising method for modulating the carrier injection in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, developing SAMs with the required characteristics remains a daunting challenge. Herein, we functionalize ITO with various phosphonic acid SAMs and evaluate the SAM-modified anodes in terms of their work function (WF), molecular distribution, coverage, and electrical conductivity. We fabricate and characterize green phosphorescent SAM-based OLEDs and compared their performance against devices based on the conventional poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) hole-injection layer. We find that the usage of [2-(3,6-diiodo-9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (I-2PACz) SAM yields devices with superior performance characteristics, including a maximum luminance of ∼57,300 cd m-2 and external quantum efficiency of up to ∼17%. This improvement is attributed to synergistic factors, including the deep WF of ITO/I-2PACz (5.47 eV), the formation of larger I-2PACz molecular clusters, and the intrinsic I-2PACz dipole, that collectively enhance hole-injection.

Effect of hole-transport layer thickness on the performance of organic light-emitting diodes

In this study, we investigated the influence of hole-transport layer thickness (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 nm), N,N′-bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N′-bis(phenyl)-2,2′-dimethylbenzidine (α-NPD) on the performance of thermally evaporated multilayer organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with tris(8-hydroxy-quinolinato)aluminium (Alq3) as electroluminescent material. A device with 5 nm α-NPD thickness showed a current density ∼30 times higher than without any α-NPD layer. However, the current density decreased as the α-NPD thickness increased beyond 5 nm. In contrast to the current density, the device efficiency improved as α-NPD layer thickness increased to 30 nm, after which a drop in efficiency was observed. The current efficiency of the device with 30 nm α-NPD thickness was 10 times higher than the device with 5 nm α-NPD thickness. The results indicated that hole-injection in OLEDs was more efficient with thin 5 nm α-NPD, while optimal efficiency was at 30 nm of α-NPD thickness.

Hole Injection Characteristics and Annealing Temperature Dependence for Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes Using Spontaneous Polarization

An efficient carrier injection at the electrode/organic semiconductor interface of organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) is challenging. It is well‐known that an electric dipole at the electrode/semiconductor interface improves the carrier injection from the electrode because of a vacuum‐level shift. In this study, poly (vinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF/TrFE)] is used as a polar polymer with spontaneous polarization. P(VDF/TrFE) is spin‐coated on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode surface as a hole injection layer for OLEDs. The P(VDF/TrFE) layer enhances the hole injection from the ITO electrode by causing a vacuum‐level shift. As a result, the device driving voltage can be lowered. In addition, annealing temperature dependence is observed. To investigate the origin of the hole injection effect, the P(VDF/TrFE)‐layered ITO surface and the thin film structure of the P(VDF/TrFE) layer are measured. The P(VDF/TrFE) layers at different annealing temperatures show no difference in surface properties but show significant differences in the thin film structure. The hole injection of OLEDs is significantly enhanced because of the structural change in ultrathin P(VDF/TrFE) layer.

Modification of ITO anodes with self-assembled monolayers for enhancing hole injection in OLEDs

Increasing carrier injection efficiency is an important way to improve the performance of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this work, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were formed on indium tin oxide (ITO) anodes with different aromatic carboxylic acids. The relationship between the molecular structure and its effect on modification was investigated. The presence of monolayers was verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Water contact angle tests show that the surface energy of ITO has decreased after SAM modification which is beneficial to obtain a flat film of organic functional materials on ITO. In addition, the data of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy reveal that the work function of SAM-ITO with different molecules modified has increased to varying degrees. Therefore, a no-hole injection layer (HIL) device whose structure is ITO/SAMs/α-naphthyphenylbiphenyldiamine (NPB) (25 nm)/tris(8-hydroxyquindino) aluminum (III) (Alq3) (60 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) was designed to explore the impact of SAMs on OLEDs. OLED performance shows SAMs of 9H-carbazole-2-carboxylic acid (CzCA) facilitating the device to obtain superior luminescence performance, with a turn-on voltage of 2.6 V and a maximum luminance of 30 418 cd·m−2. In order to study the mechanism, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and other information of SAM molecules were calculated by Gaussian 09. According to the result, the HOMO of CzCA appears as a special “through-band,” which is beneficial to the hole transport. It is considered that when the HOMO of the SAM molecule is in a shape favorable for hole transport, hole injection will be facilitated and the performance of the OLEDs will be improved greatly.

Thin air-plasma-treated alkali fluoride layers for improved hole extraction in copper <inline-formula><math display="inline" overflow="scroll"><mrow><mtext>phthalocyanine</mtext><mo>/</mo><msub><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">C</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>70</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></inline-formula>-based solar cells

Alkali fluorides, mostly LiF and CsF, are well-known to improve electron injection/extraction in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic solar cells (OSCs). They are also utilized, though to a lesser extent, for hole injection in OLEDs. Here we demonstrate a new role for such fluorides in enhancing OSCs' hole extraction. We show that an ultrathin air-plasma-treated alkali fluoride layer between the indium tin oxide (ITO) anode and the active layer in copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/C70-based OSCs increases the short circuit current by up to ∼ 17% for cells with LiF and ∼ 7% for cells with NaF or CsF. The effects of the fluoride layer thickness and treatment duration were evaluated, as were OSCs with oxidized and plasma-treated Li and UV-ozone treated LiF. Measurements included current voltage, absorption, external quantum efficiency (EQE), atomic force microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which showed the presence of alkali atoms F and O at the treated ITO/fluoride surface. The EQE of optimized devices with LiF increased at wavelengths >560 nm, exceeding the absorption increase. Overall, the results indicate that the improved performance is due largely to enhanced hole extraction, possibly related to improved energy-level alignment at the fluorinated ITO/CuPc interface, reduced OSC series resistance, and in the case of LiF, improved absorption.

Characteristics of Ni-Doped IZO Layers Grown on IZO Anode for Enhancing Hole Injection in OLEDs

The preparation and characteristics of a Ni-doped indium zinc oxide (NIZO) layer were investigated to enhance hole injection in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). A thin NIZO layer with a thickness of was cosputtered onto an indium zinc oxide (IZO) anode using tilted Ni and IZO dual targets dc magnetron sputtering at room temperature in a pure Ar atmosphere. Using of Ni dc power, we can obtain a NIZO double-layer anode with a sheet resistance of and an optical transmittance of 83.8% at a wavelength of . In addition, it was found that the work function of the NIZO layer was higher than that of a pure IZO anode due to the presence of a phase in the NIZO layer. An increase of Ni dc power above significantly degrades the electrical and optical properties in the NIZO layer. X-ray diffraction examination demonstrated that the NIZO layer consisted of an amorphous structure regardless of the Ni dc deposition power due to low substrate temperature. Furthermore, an OLED fabricated on the NIZO layer exhibited a higher current density, luminance, and efficiency due to improved hole injection by the high work function NIZO. These results indicate that the NIZO∕IZO anode scheme is a promising anode material system for enhancing hole injection from the anode into the active layer of OLEDs.